Honing apparatus



June 12, 1934. M. L. BICKART HONING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 1, 1931ATTORNEYS oQaM Patented June 12, 1934 HONING APPARATUS Monroe L.Bickart, Stamford, Conn, assignor to Automatic Lighter Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application October 1, 1931, Serial No. 566,256

12 Claims.

My present invention relates to apparatus and Fig. l is a perspectiveview of a sharpener em- I methodsfor honing or conditioning cuttingblades, particularly safety razor blades by resort to forces including.thatof magnetic attraction. The invention in common with that ofmy copending application Serial No. 1 558,852 filed August124, 1932 seeks toprovide apparatus of the above type by which accurate engagement of thecutting edge area of the blade with a magnet 3.10 is assured .by-whichin the application, in the honing operation and in the removal of theblade, stresses prejudicial to the eflicacy or" the blade, areinherently avoided, in which misalignment or skewing of the cutting edgewith respect to the magnetpole end and the need for any particularprecaution inthe utilization of the device are obviated, in whichthedanger of the user cutting his fingers or otherwise injuring himselfduring the honing operation is reduced to a mini- 1 mum, all with theelimination of rotating parts,

,, .21 According to the present-invention the case enclosing the magnetaffords a groove or slot longtudinally between the magnet. poles servingasa track or guide for the mechanical slid ing action .of the bladeregardless of the particular construction of the latter. The operativemember for the blade, which is preferably a permanent magnet keepersuperposed over the blade, is provided-with downwardly extending studs,lugs or fins 'to cooperate with'the perforations or notches in the'bladeconstruction and with the groove or slot in the case construction forcorrectly aligning and" guiding the blade in initial' setting,mechanical honing and removal thereof.

Another feature is the embodiment of the keeper as an elementpre-disposed in coordinated relationship with, and if desiredpermanently aifixed in a cover for the case which cover itself serves asthe grip for'effecting the sliding action of the keeper and with it ofthe blade along the magnet pole ends. The invention may be more fullyunderstood from the following description in connection 55 with theaccompanying drawing, wherein bodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating anotherform of the invention,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to that of Fig. 2, but illustratinganother modification,

and r Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 3, but somewhatfragmentary, and illustrating another modification.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, there isprovided a rectangular open topped case 10 preferably of non-magneticmaterial such as a molded phenol condensation product, and-enclosing apermanent horse shoe magnet 11 having interspaced pole faces 12.

In order to securely support the magnet 11111 the case 10, the legs ofthe magnet are securely held in position preferably by means ofcardboard sheets 14 coated on both sides with cement, and snugly clampedbetween the legs of the magnet and the corresponding sides of the case10.

Between the inwardly beveled pole faces 12, there is provided a bridgingpiece or spacer member 15 which is preferably of non-magnetic materialsuch as phenol condensation product, and which has the outside surfacethereof disposed somewhat above the inner or lower edges of the polefaces 12. This spacer member 15' is supported upon the ends of abutmentmembers in the form of end plates 16, adhesively secured to the ends ofthe case 10, and having the bottom ends thereof supported on the bottomof said case, these end plates 16 are made of non-magnetic material, andnot only serve to support thespacer member 15, but also aid in confiningthe magnet 11 in position.

The present invention is shown as particularly adapted to the sharpeningof a razor blade 17 of the double edge wafer type, such for instance asthe Gillette or Probak type, but as far as the broad aspects of theinvention are concerned, may be adapted for the sharpening of otherferrous blades, both single and double edged types. For honingoperation, this blade 17 is bridged across the pole faces 12, which havelengths prefably at least equal to the length of the blade to besharpened, andhave the outer edges thereof separated by a distancegreater than the width of the blade, and the inner edges by a distanceless than the width of the blade, so that the entire length of thecutting edge of the blade to be sharpened may be disposed in directengagement with respect to the pole ends, as shown in the drawings.

The beveled edges of the blade 17, under the action of the magnet 11,are maintained in direct engagement with the magnetic poles. The cuttingedges of the blade are thereby attracted into close contiguity with thepole faces 12, and the irregularities due to previous shaving operation,urged toward realinement with the plane of the blade.

In accordance with the present invention, a special type of blade keeperor carrier is provided which will serve as a handle by means of which adesirable sliding or mechanical stropping movement of the blade may beeasily effected, and the blade easily slid into central bridgingposition. In the form shown, this keeper consists simply of a plate 19which is preferably longer than the blade 17, and has a width narrowthan that of the blade, but sufiiciently wide so that the longitudinaledges of said plate overlie the pole faces 12 when said plate is mountedin operating position. In order to effect the interengagement of theblade 17 and the carrier plate 19, said plate is provided with pendantstuds 20 which engage in the blade holes or the blade slot enlargement,as the case may be.

In order to provide means for manipulating the carrier plate 19, the topof said plate is provided at each end with a rib 21 which rendersmanipulation of said carrier more convenient. The carrier plate 19 has aknurled central portion 22 which is bounded at both ends by ribs 23, andwhich constitutes a receiving section adapted to be engaged by the thumbor the forefinger of the user when pushing the plate back and forth overthe pole pieces of the magnet.

In order to guide the blade l'land its associated carrier plate 19 intotransverse central po sition with respect to the pole faces 12 duringits sliding movement, the spacer member 15 is provided with alongitudinally extending slot 24, the ends of which register withcorresponding cut outs or recesses 25 in the case 10. In operation, thestuds 20 on the carrier plate 19 are guided within the slot 24, theblade being thereby maintained in transverse central position withrespect to the pole faces 12 during sliding movement of the blade.

The carrier plate 19 may not only serve to facilitate the manipulationof the blade 17 in mounting and dismounting the blade in bridgingposition across the pole faces 12, but may also be used for sliding theblade back and forth over the pole faces of the magnet, so that amechanical honing action is exerted concurrently with the magnetichoning action of the magnet 11. Also, the application of pressure on topof the carrier plate 19 by the fingers cf the manipulator, causes theouter edges thereof to press the corresponding portion of the blade 17against the pole faces 12, this pressing action being effected along acontinuous line overlying the pole faces 12, so that the pressure willbe transmitted equally along the cutting edge of said blade.

Sometimes, razor blades are either made of chromium steel, or othersimilar alloy, which somewhat reduces the magnetic properties of theblade. It is therefore preferable to compensate for the reduction inmagnetic property of the blade by making the carrier plate of a stronglymagnetic material, such as soft iron, which is very susceptible to theattraction of the magnet. The magnets attraction for the carrier platecauses the blade 17 to be pressed with greater force against the magnetpole ends, the magnetic attraction of the magnet for the blade alonebeing thus supplemented.

The attraction of the magnet for both the blade and carrier plate notonly aids materially in properly centering and drawing these memberstogether into cooperative relationship, but is also effective formaintaining said carrier plate and blade in position during periods ofidleness of the sharpener. Also, the bridging of the magnetic poles by acarrier plate of strong magnetic properties during the periods ofidleness, serves to maintain the magnetic circuit closed, therebymaterially prolonging the life of the magnet.

In Fig. 4 is shown another form of the present invention, in which thecase 10 is provided with a flanged cover 27 hinged at 28 to the edge ofthe case. For locking the cover 27 in closed position, the forward edgeof the case is molded preferably with a latch lug 30 which is rounded atits upper face, and which forms a shoulder 31 at its lower edge, whichis laterally rounded as shown. The cover 27 has riveted or otherwisesecured thereto a metal fingerpiece 32 With a coiled lower edge 33, andan aperture 34 adjacent thereto, and adapted to snap over the latch lug30.

The case 10 is preferably formed with longitudinal fillets 35 extendingalong the vertical edges thereof, the upper edges of these filletsforming stops or shoulders 36 for supporting a spacer member 37. Thisspacer member 37 is provided with a slot 38 extending to the forwardedge of the case 10, and alined with a corresponding cut out or recess39 in the forward portion of said case. This slot 38 does not extendacross to the rear of the case 10, but is bridged near said rear end bya transverse extension 41 which acts as a stop for the rear pendant stud20. The carrier plate 19 is similar to that shown in Fig. l, and issufiiciently short so that it may be retained in bridged position acrossthe magnet when the cover is closed.

In Fig. 5 is shown another form of the present invention in which thecase 10 is provided with a flanged cover 43 which is slidable along thetop of the case, and which serves to support a carrier plate 45, and therazor blade 1'7. For that purpose, the cover has connected thereto apair of pendant studs 44 which support the carrier plate 45, havingholes 46 for engaging said studs. Since this carrier plate is not in aposition to be directly manually operated, it may be of plane formwithout the provision of ribs and knurled surfaces as shown in theconstruction of Figs. 1 to 4. In order to retain the carrier plate 45 inengagement with the studs 44, the lower ends of these studs are providedwith pins 47 and 48 extending transversely therefrom, these pins servingto prevent the blade and carrier plate from falling off before the cover43 is mounted for honing operation. These pins, although sufficientlylong to prevent the removal of the carrier plate therefrom, are notsufficiently long to prevent hooking a blade into engagement with saidstuds especially with those blades having slots with spaced enlargementstherealong.

The case 10 is provided with a spacer member iii".

101056512118 case p10,,but also serves asa means wherebylgthe carrierplate maybe slid along the. top of the case to effect thecentering ofthe razor blade 5 in position with respect to the pole faces. 12, or ifdesired, to supplement the magnetic action of the magnet by a,reciprocating movementof said cover. The stop piece 41 is contacted bypin 47 andthus servesas a stop for preventing the cover 43 fromoverrunning the rear end of the case 10. v i v InL'Figr 6 is shown anembodiment of the invention, in. which :the case 10 is provided with acover 50 which is slidable in a longitudinal directionalong the open endof said case, and which has permanently fixed thereto a carrier plate,51

.ofparamagnetic material, said carrier plate being cemented or otherwisesecured to the underside of said cover... In order to guide said cover50 for. slidablemovement along the open end of the:case 10; the. upperends of the sides of said case are rabbet jointed with the bottom of thesides of said cover 50, there being a clearance between the'cover andthe case, so that said cover. and the plate 5l,rest on the blade 17.which liesrlat with its beveled cutting edge in face to face contactwith the beveled pole ends.

m In order to effect the movement of the blade l'lrand the.cover-50,-inunison, said cover has connected thereto a pair of pendant studs 53which pass through the ,openingsor enlargementsin said blade, and whichextend into the groove 24 in a fashion similar to that constructionshown in Fig. 3. The device, in accordance with this modifiedconstruction, may be operated in a manner. similar to that describedwithreference-to the construction of Fig. 5.

While entirely goodresults are accomplished in each of the embodimentsby interposing. the plate between the magnet-pole end and the keeperplate and performing the manipulation set forth, it.contributes to bestresults to repeat the operation withthe blade in reversed position, allsubstantially as set forth in the prior patent to Girtanner No.1,796,096, granted March 10,

Through the instrumentality of the present invention,-:the centering ofthe blade with respect to the: pole ends is insured during the operationofemplacing the blade with; the cutting edges inengagement with the poleends, or removing said blade therefrom. Furthermore, the fingersdonotcome in contact with theblade itself, the manipulation necessaryfor sliding the blade into honing position. merely consisting inengaging the top of the, carrier plate or cover by one or, more fingers,and pushingsaid plate or cover along the pole faces of the magnet. Nodirectfinger engagement with the bladeis necessary, and the danger ofthe 'manipulator cutting his fingers is reduced. Furthermore, duringthis operation, the

' blade is guided with the lugs from the plate or cover extending in.the space between the pole faces,so that the blade will at all times bedisposedin transverse centered position with respect to thepole faces.No resetting of the blade from askewed position is therefore necessary.as a result of the present invention.

Also during this operation of emplacing or removing the blade by slidingaction, the honing operation is accelerated by this action. If desired,the.oarrier plate or cover maybe used, to

reciprocate the blade rapidly across the pole ,faces, so that honingoperations ,may be still further, accelerated, and made moreeffective.

, Also, by providing a carrier plate having longitudinal straight edges,which press against the intermediate portion of the blade being honed,said edges are subjected to. equal pressure therealongso that the cuttined e will be subjected to uniform pressure, and therefore will bedisposed in exact'alinement.

While ,the keeper plate is shown with studs adaptingit more particularlyfor use with blades of the Gillette or Probak type it will beunderstoodthat in accordance with the principles best disclosed in my copendingapplication above identified, a keeper plate may be provided with studs,pins or fins for coordination with blades of the Gem type or of theValet type or of any other type either now in existence or that mayhereafter be devised. No alteration is required in the construction orarrangement of the magnet. It is merely the keeper plate or rather thearrangement of studs, pins or fins thereon which should be speciallyadapted for the particular type of blade to be honed.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described an apparatus inwhich the several features of this invention are embodied, and which inits action attain the various objects of the invention and is'wellsuited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different. embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A hone for ablade, including a magnet, ablade carrier plate of magnetic material,means for interengaging said blade and carrier plate for slidablemovement in unison, said blade overhanging the corresponding edge ofsaid carrier plate, with the blade and plate interengaging, and meansfor guiding said blade and carrier plate for reciprocal movement alongone of the pole endsof said magnet, with the cutting edge of said bladeinengagement with said pole end and aportionof said carrier plateoverlying said pole end and magnetically pressing the bladethereagainst. 7

2. A hone for a double edge flexible razor blade having openingstherethrough, comprising a casing, a horse shoe magnet mounted insaidcasing, and having a pair of inwardly bevelled, symmetrically conformedand positioned magnetic pole ends at the open end of. said casing, aspacer member extending across the open end of said casing, and having agroove extending longitudinally between the pole ends of the magnet,said poleends being sufficiently wide and interspaced asufficientdistance so that the razor blade may be bridged across said pole ends,with the cutting edges thereof in engagement with said pole ends, ablade carrier plate of magnetic material. having a pair oflongitudinally extending edges in parallel relationship, and interspaceda distancesmaller than the distance between the cutting edges of saidblade, a pair of lugs extending from the surface ofsaid plate, andadapted to pass through the openings in said blade,

Elli) lieu lee

whereby said plate and blade may be interengaged for sliding movement inunison, said lugs being adapted to extend into the groove of the spacermember, whereby said blade may be guided along the pole ends of themagnet, with the cutting edges thereof in engagement with the pole ends,the width of said blade being such that the longitudinal edges thereofoverlie the pole ends of the magnet during honing operation.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, acover therefor, a magnet mounted in said casing, and having the pole endfinished to provide a honing surface, said pole end being disposed atthe open end of said casing, and means for holding the blade to besharpened, with its cutting edge in engagement with said pole ends, andincluding a blade carrier plate of magnetic material adapted to bedisposed in appositive relationship with the blade, so as to press thecutting edge of said blade across the pole end of the magnet as a resultof the attraction of the magnet for said plate interengaging means onthe carrier plate and magnet for guiding the manual reciprocation of thecarrier plate as the latter thrusts the blade along the pole end, thecasing and its cover being sufliciently large so that the cover may beclosed, while retaining the plate and blade in honing position in saidcasing.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, aflanged cover therefor hinged on to said casing, a horse shoe magnetmounted in said casing, and having the pole ends thereof near the openend of said casing, and means for holding a double edge flexible razorblade with the cutting edges thereof in engagement with the pole ends ofsaid magnet, and including a plate of magnetic material of greater widththan the space between the magnet poles and of less width than the plateadapted to lie across the top of said blade and to press the cuttingedges of said blade against the pole ends of the magnet under theinfluence of magnetic force, said casing and cover being sufiioientlylarge so that the cover may be closed, and the plate and blade retainedin the casing in honing relationship with the magnet.

5. A device of the class described, including a casing, a horse shoemagnet mounted in said casing, and having the pole ends thereof disposednear the open end of said casing, a flange cover adapted to slide alongthe open end of said casing, means connected to said casing for holdingthe blade to be sharpened in engagement with said cover for slidingmovement in unison therewith, said blade being mounted so that thecutting edges thereof may be slid across the pole ends of the magnet,and a magnetic plate disposed on top of said blade and carried by saidcover, said plate being adapted to be attracted by the pole ends of themagnet, whereby the cutting edges of said blade are pressed against saidpole ends.

6. A device of the class described, including a casing, a horse shoemagnet mounted in said casing, and having the pole ends thereofd-isposed near the open end of said casing, a flange-d cover adapted toslide along the open end of said casing, a pair of lugs extending frominside of said cover, and adapted to engage a double edge flexible razorblade, a plate of magnetic material engaged by said lugs for movement inunison therewith, and adapted to rest upon the blade to be sharpened,said blade being mounted on said cover so that the cutting edges thereofare slid along the pole ends of the magnet, when said cover is slidalong the open end of the casing.

'7. A device of the class described, including a casing, a magnetdisposed in said casing, and having one of the pole ends thereofdisposed near the open end of said casing, a slidable cover member forsaid casing, a plate of magnetic material, and means on said covermember for carrying said plate and the blade to be sharpened inappositive relationship, so that when the cover is slid along the top ofsaid casing, the cutting edge of said blade comes in contiguousrelationship With the pole end of the magnet with the plate pressingagainst said blade.

8. A device of the class described, including a casing, a magnetdisposed in said casing, and having one of the pole ends thereofdisposed near the open end of said casing, a cover member for saidcasing, a plate of magnetic material, means on said cover member forcarrying said plate and the blade to be sharpened in appositiverelationship, and means for guiding the cover member along the open endof said casing, so that the cutting edge of the blade is slid along thepole end of the magnet, with the magnetic plate pressing against saidblade.

9. In a device of the class described, the combi nation of a casing, aflanged cover for said casing, said cover being provided with a pair oflugs, said casing having a guide groove extending along the top thereof,and in which said lugs are adapted to extend, a magnet mounted in saidcasing, and having a pole end near the open end of said casing, means onsaid flanged cover for carrying a blade and a magnetic plate, with saidplate resting on said blade, said blade being so mounted that when thecover is slid along the open top of said casing with said lugstravelling in said groove, the cutting edges of said blade will he slidalong the pole end of the magnet, with the plate pressing against saidblade.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing, ahorse shoe magnet mounted in said casing, and having the pole endsthereof disposed in symmetrical position, said casing being providedwith a guide groove between said pole ends, a flanged cover memberadapted to slide along the open top of said casing, a pair of lugsextending from the top wall of said flanged cover, and adapted to engagea double edge flexible razor blade, said lugs extending in said grooveswhen said cover is slid along the open top of said casing, and a plateof magnetic material resting on top of said blade, and having holesengaged by said lugs, said blade being so mounted that when said coveris guided along the open top of said casing, the cutting edges of saidblade slide along the pole ends of the magnet, with the magnetic platepressing against said blade.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of an opentopped casing, a horse shoe magnet mounted in said casing, and havingthe pole ends thereof exposed from the open end of said casing, andspaced to receive a razor blade of the double edge type thereacross,with the cutting edges of said blade in engagement with said pole ends,a cover adapted to slide along the open top of said casing, a plate ofmagnetic material permanently secured to the inside of said casing, saidplate being sufficiently wide with respect to the direction of movementof said cover, whereby the longitudinal edges thereof engage said bladeand overlie the pole ends of said magnet, and

of greater width than the space between the poles and of lesser widththan the blade to be sharpened, said keeper having studs thereon forengagement with the blade and means associated with the magnet affordinga trackway in which said studs travel, whereby to guide the carrierplate for manual reciprocation in operative relationship to the polefaces.

MONROE L. BICKART.

